WAS I FOOLISH

QUETTA 

        It was winters and we decided to visit the Metropolitan city of Karachi. I was stationed at Quetta and Karachi was approximately 750 km in the south of it. Normally the weather at Quetta during winters is very severe and all the Education institutions observe three months winter holidays. Therefore, most of the people tend to move towards warmer parts of the country. My sister’s family also decided joined me on this trip. 

CIRCULAR ROAD QUETTA

        We started off quite early for Karachi by road in our two cars. This was a very fine but cool morning of December. We had an early breakfast. 

The sun was not up yet and it was quite chilly and quiet. The sky was magnificently blue but still, the stars were visible.

RCD HIGHWAY

        There are three routes connecting Quetta to the rest of the country.Out of these, two have the access towards southern parts of the country. The old and historic one goes through the famous Bolan Pass, along the river Bolan. This is the one which was adopted by many of the invaders who were interested in capturing the area presently in the southern part of Punjab province of Pakistan and the rich lands spread around Indus River. But this route is more famous because of the Afghan wars through which the British forces attacked Afghanistan. Bolan Pass starts from the place known as Kolpur and ends at Dhadar which leads to Sibbi, the place where Mir Chakar Khan, the famous Baloch leader used to have Capitol of his state. Kolpur is also the second highest Railway station of Pakistan after Sheila bagh, which is the highest railway station about 95 km towards the North of Quetta. 

        The other route is through again another historic pass, which is “Lak Pass”. Some call it “Luck Pass” as in ancient days it was believed that one needed a lot of Luck to cross this safe due to its dangerous and steep climb. Thus it got the name Luck pass. After crossing ‘Lak Pass’, one reaches a ‘Y’ junction from where a road leads towards the west and joins Pakistan with Iran, Turkey and Europe and the rest of the world. During 60’s a highway was built from Istanbul, Capitol of Turkey, passing through Iran’s Capitol Tehran and joining Karachi, the then Capitol of Pakistan. It is an international highway known as RCD highway. The RCD stands for “Regional Cooperation for Development”. An understanding which was signed between the three countries for development i.e. Pakistan, Iran and Turkey.

        The same RCD highway, from ‘Lak Pass’, Y junction leads South towards Karachi and pass through Kalat, Khuzdar, Lasbela and Hub before ending at Karachi. We adopted this route.

KHUZDAR BAZAAR

        We reached Khuzdar at around 10 a.m. Khuzdar is 350 km from Quetta and is an old city. It is also a famous Military Cantonment. It has few good hotels, restaurants on the highway for the benefits of the tourists. “Chamroak” Restaurant is the best and mostly all the passenger buses, coasters, wagons, cars make a short stop over here. It has very neat and clean wash rooms and it provides fresh delicious food/refreshments in a very nice environment with reasonable prices. It also has a separate restaurant for the Ladies. We, after refreshing ourselves, continued our journey towards Karachi. On the route to Khuzdar, there is Kalat city. This is the highest point on this route and is very cold in winters. This was the Capitol of Kalat state and the ruler of Kalat state, known as Khan of Kalat, used to manage his affairs from here. 

        From Khuzdar one passes through Wad, Bela and Hub to Karachi. Khuzdar is almost 375 km from Karachi. The area from Khuzdar and little short of Bela is hilly and actually is a long pass going through the beautiful mountains. These are full of minerals and are of different colours. One finds Black, Brown, Green, Red, Lemon and grey colour mountains and it is really an astonishing and amazing view. 

        While we were passing through the mountains, we stopped for a while at a place called “Luk Baraan” for a cup of tea. There is a small Mud hut made of straws and mud where on demand, a fresh cup of tea, made on wood fire is served and it has a marvellous and unique taste. That day also we had a wonderful tea.       

     An interesting thing about this “Luk Baraan” I would like to share which always happens with me whenever I pass from here. In the local language “Luk” means a little and "Baraan" means rain. It always happens that when I am passing from here it rains, may be a drizzle but it must. And it always amaze and please me.

    NEAR LUK BARAAN

        A silver colour Suzuki Alto car stopped there when we were about to start again. A middle aged couple was in it. The man and a woman came out of the car and started walking towards us. They were well dressed and good looking. Me and my brother-in-law were examining our cars for their further journey’s fitness and our families were still away finishing their tea that the couple approached us. The man and woman when came near, the woman started the conversation and informed us that they are coming from Hyderabad and going towards Quetta. En route they had stopped at a restaurant near Karachi and had tea. Now on reaching Wad, when they wanted to fill their fuel tank, that they realized that the woman left her purse on the table at the restaurant and their entire money was in it. Now they have left with nothing but a little money which they paid for the petrol to the gas pump and only managed to half fill the fuel tank. She said that they are in a situation that they cannot go back on this fuel. She also told that they have decided to move further to Quetta and get to their home. She asked for help. On my enquiring about what type of help she needs. She requested for some money so that they can get the fuel for their journey towards Quetta. 

        It just took me a moment to decide and then I gave all the money I have on me to them leaving nothing for myself. The person asked my address from me with a promise that he will contact me and the money shall be returned, thanked me and they left.

        Meanwhile, the families reached us and enquired as to what were the couple saying and what was the matter. I told them the incident. They all started laughing including my brother-in-law, who was witness to the entire episode. They were making fun of me and saying that the couple seems to be fraud and they cunningly deprived me off my money. I asked my brother-in-law as to why he did not stop me from doing so, if he had those feelings. He replied “brother, I wanted to stop you but, you never gave me a chance”. Till now I am being made fun of.

        Before I finish, I want to share two more things. One; that the couple never made any contact for the return of the money. Though I had given it in the name of ALLAH and never wanted it back. Two; from there when we started for Karachi, en route on a blind turn, suddenly a big trawler appeared moving very fast on the wrong side of the road. There was a deep fall of about 1000 feet on my side of the road and I was travelling almost on the edge of it. To save myself, in a split of a second, I decided and crossed the trawler from his side of the road, having no other choice, and was horrified to see that a very fast moving car was following the trawler. How I managed to manoeuvres back to my side from between the trawler and the car, is still a mystery. 

       My sister’s family, who were following in their car, later told me that at that moment they all screamed at the top of their voices and closed their eyes considering us a gone case as, according to them, there was not a chance that we could avoided a fatal collision. When they open their eyes again, they were astonished with joy to see us moving in front of them on the road. 

        After the horrific experience, I stopped by the side of the road for relaxing our shattered nerves. The sister’s family also joined and gave their side of the story as to what they saw and happened. All faces were white with fear and my sister was crying and tears flowing from her eyes. She was also thanking ALLAH for saving us all.

       We stayed there for a while till our nerves were calm again and we could move. 

       I told them that according to my faith, we survived because of the good deed I did a short while earlier, in the name of ALLAH, by providing unconditional help to the travellers, the couple, without thinking of a reward or return. 

 But still, at times, they made fun of me. 

What do you think, was I acted foolish? 

KARACHI

Posted by Zaffar Iqbal Durrani